Radiant energy may be used in a variety of manufacturing processes to treat surfaces, films, and coatings applied to a wide range of materials. Specific processes include, but are not limited to, curing (e.g., fixing, polymerization), oxidation, purification, and disinfection. Processes employing radiant energy to polymerize or effect a desired chemical change are rapid and often less expensive compared to a thermal treatment. The application of radiant energy can also be localized to control surface processes and allow preferential curing only where the radiant energy is applied. Curing can also be localized within the coating or thin film to interfacial regions or in the bulk of the coating or thin film. Control of the curing process is achieved through selection of a radiation source type, physical properties (for example, spectral characteristics), spatial and temporal variation of the radiant energy, and curing chemistry (for example, coating composition).
A variety of radiation sources may be used for curing, fixing, polymerization, oxidation, purification, or disinfections applications. Examples of such sources include, but are not limited to, photon, electron, or ion beam sources. Typical photon sources include, but are not limited to, arc lamps, incandescent lamps, electrodeless lamps and a variety of electronic and solid-state sources (i.e., lasers). Conventional arc type ultraviolet (UV) lamp systems and microwave-driven UV lamp systems typically use tubular bulb envelopes made of fused quartz glass or fused silica.
In many instances, current or voltage received from the existing photodetector device, which is a part of the UV curing lamp assembly, is monitored and an error is determined when the amount of current or voltage does not match a pre-determined value or range for a light source in the UV curing lamp assembly. When this error occurs, it normally indicates insufficient light received from the light source within the UV curing lamp assembly. Accordingly, the UV curing lamp assembly is instructed to shut down and an error code is displayed to the user. It is also possible that the photodetector device may not be functioning properly, which may result in the return of an error when there was actually sufficient light from the light source. Users typically need to replace either the light source, the photodetector device, or both, to re-establish operation of the UV curing lamp assembly. Further, users are typically restricted from placing two UV curing lamp assemblies face-to-face, as the light from one light source might satisfy the pre-determined value or range requirement in the other light source, even if the other light source is defective.